Lubricant compressor



Jae/aw?! Usmr Z Zen? O. U. ZERK LUBRICANT COMPRESSOR Filed July 11, 1924 April 1929.

Patented Apr. 9, 1929..

units OSCAR U. ZERK, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR '10 ALEMITE IWIANICI'IEACTURINGr CORPORATION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE LUBRICANT COMPRESSOR.

Application filed July 11,

My invention relates to improvements in lubricant compressors, and is particularly concerned with, though not limited to, improvements in lubricant compressors adapted to be used for supplying, under pressure, fluid lubricants to bearings located in different p0 sitions.

The objects of my present invention are First: to provide a compressor comprising a reservoir for holding a substantial quantity of lubricant, and a cylinder communicating with the reservoir, means being provided for discharging the lubricant from said cylinder under comparatively high pressure;

Second: to provide a lubricant compressor of the character described, including means for insuring the priming of the cylinder, irrespective of the position of the compressor and of the quantity of lubricant in the reservoir, and

Third: to provide a compressor of the character described that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and easy to operate.

Other objects of my invention will appear as this description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in

which I have illustrated my improved compressor in central longitudinal section.

sccured to the barrel. A filling opening 11 is formed in the closure 9 and may be closed by the cover 12. which is pivotally mounted upon the closure 9. as shown at 13. and which carrics a gasket 14 for sealing the joint between it and the closure 9. A latch 15, of any de" sired construction, may be used for holding the cover 12 in closed position.

A guide sleeve 16 is threaded into the opening 17 formed in the closure 9, and provides a caring for the cylinder 18, which is adapted to reciprocate in the guide sleeve. The

Referring to the drawing, my improved compressor comprises the barrel or .IQSBIVOII r i 5, which is preferably cylindrical in shape,

1924. Serial No. 725,420.

cylinder 18 is provided at its outer end with a cap 19, having the substantially spherically-v shown at 22, and then enlarged, as shown at 23, to provide a seat for the check valve 24. This valve is yieldingly held in its closed position by means of the spring,25 confined between it and the end of the cap 19.

which is closed, as shown at 27, is positioned in the sleeve 16, and hasits outer end extend-.

position by means of the compression spring 28 confined between it and the closed end of the plunger 26. The outtu'rned flange 29, formed on the inner end of the cylinder 18 A hollow plunger 26, the inner end of and engaging the shoulder 30 formed in the of the cylinder 18'.

A sleeve 31 threaded into the inner end of the guide sleeve 16 has a bar 32 extending across its outer end that acts as an abutment for the inner end of the cylinder 26. The openings 33 formed on either side of the bar 32 provide means for establishing communication between the sleeve 31 and the guide sleeve 16. i

' A bushing 34 extends through the end 010' sure 8 of the barrel in co-axial alignment with the sleeve 31 and in co-axial alignment with-an opening formed in the partition or (lam 35 that extends entirely across the lower half of the barrelr5. A tubular valve 36 is slidably mounted in the sleeve 31, the bushing 34 and the dam 35, and is provided at its outer end wit-h a cap 36 for preventing the escape of lubricant and for forming a handle by means of which the valve 36 can be reciprocated in the sleeve 31 and the bushing.

34. These last mentioned elements form valve seats for the valve 36, which is 'pro vided with the ports 37 that are adaptedto be brought into registry with the ports 38 formed in the sleeve 31.' The valve 3.6 is also provided with the ports 39 that-are uncovered by the bushing 34 when the valve and sition, however, the ports 37 valve 36.

bushing are in the relative positions shown in the drawing, butare closed by the bushing 34 when the valve is pulled outwardly to a 'position in which the annular rib engages the inner end of the bushin 34. In this poare in registry with the ports 38. It will be apparent that the valve 36 can'be positioned so that both sets of ports 37 and 39 are closed, thereby preventing any lubricant from entering the The compressor described above is particularly adapted to be used in connection with fittings, such as shown at 41. These fittings are provided with the screw threadedportion 42, by means of which they can be secured to the bearings tobe lubricated, and with a spherical surface 43 adapted to make sealed contact with the outer end of the cap 19. A suitable bore extends through the fit-' ting for conducting lubricant from'the compressor to the bearing.-

-It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular shape of fit ting or to the particular shape of the end portion of the cap 19 shown herein, but may be i used for supplying a lubricant to bearings equipped with any suitable means for receiving lubricant.

In the use of my improved compressor for supplying a lubricant to fittings located in such a position that, when the compressor is in operative position relatively thereto, the

cap 19 will-bein a substantially horizontal position or in a position below the level of the oil in the reservoir, the operator merely brings the cap 19 into contact with the fitting 41, as shown in the drawing, and pushes upon the handle 6 in the direction of the fitting. This causes the plunger 26 to move into the cylinder 18, thereby displacing the contents of the latter through the bores 21 and 22, and the opening 20, into the fitting. Upon releasing the pressure upon the handle 6, the spring 28 returns the barrel and associated parts to the position shown in the drawing,

and by then again pressing upon the handle 6 toward the fitting, the operator can force an other supply of lubricant into the fitting. By repeating this operation, any desired quantity of lubricant can be supplied to a bearing.

When the barrel 5 is substantially filled with lubricant, it is more or less immaterial in what position the compressor is held," and it does not make any particularly difl'erence how the valve 36is positioned as long as either the ports 37 or the ports 39 are open, but as v the supply of lubricant is exhausted, a point will be reached where, when the cap 19 is considerably below the level of the oil or lubricant in the barrel, the ports 39 will be uncovered and it will no longer be possible to prime the cylinder through the valve 36. Un der these conditions, it is necessary to pull the valve 36 outwardly, thereby bringing the .bricant' to be supplied to a fitting, providing the cap 19 is not raised too far above the level of the oil in the compressor. It will, of course, be understood that 'as long as the dam 35 preserves a supply of lubricant for the cylinder, the lubricant will be fed to the latter through the ports 37 and 38, If,

now, the operator finds it necessary to supply lubricant to a fitting located so that it is necessary to hold thecompressor in a substantially vertical position, the dam 35 will no longer function to supply lubricant to the cylinder through the ports 37 and 38, and the operator must then move thevalve 36 to the position shown in the drawing, in which position the lubricant will pass'through the ports 39 and into the valve 36, and from thence-into the cylinder. It will, of course, be understood that when the cylinder 18 moves outwardly away from the plunger 26, a vacuum will be formed in the cylinder 18, which will suck the lubricant from the barrel 5 through the ports 39 and into the cylinder.

For relieving any tendency toward the formation of a vacuum in the barrel 5, I may provide arelief valve 44, which. is preferably carried by the cover 12. This valve is held in its closed position by means of a spring 45 of comparatively light tension.

\Vhile I have described the details. of the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be clearly understood that my invention is not limited to these details but is capable of other adaptations and modifications within the scope of the appended claims;

Having thus described my invention, what 7 I claim is neW and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A lubricant compressor comprising a reservoir for lubricant, a cylinder communi- I cating with said reservoir, means for displacing lubricant from said cylinder, and means for controlling the supply of lubricant to said cylinder con'iprising two annular valve seats arranged in spaced axially aligned relation, one being located adjacent one end of said reservoir, and the other adjacent the other 7 2. A lubricant compressor comprising a reservoir for lubricant, a cylinder communicating with said reservoir, means for displace ing lubricant from said cylinder, and means. for controlling the supply of-lubricant to said cylinder comprising two valve seats ar ranged in spaced aligned relation, a tubular valve slidable in said valve seats and extending through one wall of said reservoir, said valvehaving ports which, in one position of said valve. permit passage o'flubricant past 7 one of said valve seats, and which, in another position. permit passage oflubricant past the other of said seats.

3. A lubricant compressor comprising a reservoir for lubricant, a cylinder communieating with said reservoir, meansifor displacing lubricant from saidcylinde'r, two inlet valve seats arranged in spaced aligned relation, and a tubular valve slidabl'e in said valve seats, said valve having portswhich, in one position of said valve, permit passage of lubricant past one of said valve seats, and which. inanother position, permitpassage of lubricant past the other of said seats, said valve being frictionally'held in any adjusted said compressor.

4. A lubricant compressor; comprising a reservoir having ends, ejecting means-having an inlet at each end of said reservoir, and unitary control means for opening either of said inlets or closing them both. .7 5. A- lubricant. compressor, comprising a reservoir for holding a lubricant, a rigid charge conduit attached thereto, ahigh pressure cylinder communicating with and supported by said conduit, and-manually controlled means axially aligned with said cylinder for connecting said cylinder with either end of said reservoir. 1

6. A lubricant compressor comprising a reservoir having ends, ejecting means having an inlet at each end of said reservoir, automatic means formaintaining lubricant over the uppermost inlet when said reservoir is tipped up only part. way to the vertical, and means for selectively closing either ofsaidinlets.

In witness whereof, I hereunto my name this 9th day of July, 1924.

OSCAR U. ZERK;

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